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Highlights from Taylor press conference

Here are some of the highlights from Jason Taylor’s first press conference as a member of the Washington Redskins:

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO PLAY FOOTBALL BEYOND THIS SEASON?

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TAYLOR: I know I made a statement back in June that I plan to play one more year in ’08 and take it from there, but I have talked to Dan Snyder and Vinny and coach and I am on board. I am going to play out my contract. I’ll be here for more than one year unless something bad happens. I am here to play ball and play ball as long as I can.

TAYLOR: From my point of view there was no animosity, there was no hard feelings, no negativity. Miami has been great to me for 11 years. I owe so much of what I am today to the city of Miami, to the organization. Wayne Huizenga and the Dolphins organization has been outstanding to me for 11 years and I love them to death. That’s home, that is where we make our home so I have no problems with Miami at all.

Q: DID THE STUFF THIS OFFSEASON GET BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION?

TAYLOR: Yeah, they did. That’s what speculation does sometimes. People start to talk about a certain situation and if neither party has addressed it then people come up with their own ideas and theories as to what is happening. I was in Los Angeles doing my thing and Parcells was in Miami wanted things a little different, but that sort of got that train rolling and got some steam and I think it got a little out of control. When he addressed it, he said there was no problem and when I addressed it, I said there was no problem and I was being very honest.

Q: HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU PLAY AGAINST THE RUN?

TAYLOR: I stand here and I don’t look real big and I don’t look real tough, but I mix it up and I’ll play the run as good as I can for my size. People always want to categorize guys a pass rusher or a run stopper or whatever it is. I’m just a playmaker. I’m a ballplayer and I love to play ball.

Q: HAVE YOU TALKED TO [BROTHER-IN-LAW] ZACH [THOMAS] YET?

TAYLOR: I have not talked to Zach. [My wife] Katina was in Dallas and talked to him and he knows. I’ll see Zach in a different way. We’ve been teammates for 11 years and I owe so much to Zach. He made me such a better player. He is such a professional and the way he carries himself and approaches the game regardless of the circumstances. I owe Zach a lot, but now he’s with the Cowboys and those aren’t good words around here. I found that out very quickly.

Q: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR CONDITIONING?

Taylor: Regardless of how you feel, you’re putting the pads on tomorrow either way. My conditioning needs to improve, but just like everyone else. You can get in shape running on the field in t-shirts and shorts, and then there is playing shape. We all need to get in playing shape.

I went through the offseason program – and this isn’t to discount any offseason program – for 10 years. You know, you start in March and it is great. You work yourself up and get yourself ready to go. When you take that month-long break between when it ends and the beginning of camp, there are two kinds of guys. There are guys who continue to keep themselves in shape and not kill themselves, and then there are the ones who say I have a month to party. I was never one of the ones who said I had a month to party, so I’ll be fine.